


Not Enough

by Etienne_Bessette



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Best Enemies 100 prompt Anniversary Challenge, Comment Fic, Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-31
Updated: 2012-07-31
Packaged: 2017-11-20 12:29:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Etienne_Bessette/pseuds/Etienne_Bessette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Doctor begs the Master to regenerate, the Master says 'yes'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Enough

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Best Enemies' 100 prompt Anniversary challenge. The prompt chosen was 'not enough'.   
> This is an AU that begins on the Valiant, as the Doctor is begging the Master to regenerate. I neglected to post it for...months. So yeah. Here it is now.

The Master says ‘yes’, and his blood dissolves into golden dust and his eyes become blazing suns that burn his whole world away until all that remains is its core—the Doctor, whose joyous smile sears more brightly than the Master can bear.

When the light fades, he expects to feel different. His body settles around him like a new set of clothing that hasn’t been tailored yet. But he  _doesn't_ expect that when the gold is gone and the tingling sparkle of regeneration fades, all the brightness in the world will have left along with it.

The Doctor takes him away. The Doctor makes promises to him. The Doctor tries to keep them. The Doctor shows him snapshots of eternity—flashcards in space and time all neatly labelled and untouchably static. The Doctor presses him down and tries to smother the ache of the drums with his mouth. The Doctor tries to help him. He tries everything except for what they both know would work.

The Master sees the sparks that he’s lost swirling in the Doctor’s eyes. The Doctor holds the boundless universe singing beneath his skin. The Master sees him glow like a bottle of golden wine held up to the sunlight, full to the brim, stoppered, and just beyond his reach.

The Master wants it all back. He’ll have it, even if he has to pull the Doctor down and smash him open.


End file.
